Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered an urgent military drill to test the combat readiness of the armed forces across western and central Russia. The drill included troops dealing with mock security and terrorist threats.

As part of the test, several drills will be held on Russian
borders with other countries, including with Ukraine. The main
purpose of these drills is to check the combat readiness of the
Russian armed forces, Shoigu said.

The surprise drill tested ground troops, Air Force, airborne
troops and aerospace defense, according to Shoigu.

Putin ordered to “test combat readiness of troops in dealing
with crisis situations that threaten the military security of the
country, as well as with antiterrorist, sanitary and
epidemiological, or technogenic situations,” Shoigu said.

According to the Defense Minister, the drill, which started at
14:00 GMT, will be held from February 26 until March 3 in two
stages. The second stage involves an opposing-force exercise with
the participation of Russia’s Northern and Baltic fleet and bomb
strike drills.

Some 150,000 troops, 90 aircraft, over 120 helicopters, 880 tanks
and 1,200 pieces of military hardware will be involved in the
drills, deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov said Wednesday.

Russia informed NATO of the military exercise thus fulfilling its
obligations in the field of military transparency, NATO Secretary
General Anders Fogh Rasmussen told journalists before a scheduled
meeting of the alliance's defense ministers.

"Yes, Russia has informed us about their military
exercises,” Itar-tass reports, as Rasmussen stressed that
Russia “lived up to all their obligations as regards
transparency.”

Moscow also notified the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) of the military exercise, according
to a senior NATO official.

While Western media was quick to connect the drill to the
situation in Ukraine, such exercises were proposed by Putin as
early as last September and followed massive 2013 drills.

In February, the Russian Army staged a surprise ‘combat
readiness’ drill in central Russia for the first time in 20
years, which was followed by a Black Sea drill in March.

An exercise testing aerospace defense and Air Force then took
place in May, involving thousands of troops with hundreds of
aircraft and vehicles.

In July, a massive military drill took place in the Eastern
Command. Up to 160,000 troops, 1,000 tanks and armored vehicles,
130 aircraft and 70 vessels took part in the drill.

Following the 2013 exercises, President Putin, in his capacity as
Russia’s Supreme Commander-in-Chief, announced that the practice
of surprise drills will continue. A comprehensive inspection of
Interior Ministry troops was also ordered.